Democrats: Secretary of state hopeful committed voter fraud

The Republican hoping to be Indiana's next top election official committed voter fraud when he cast a ballot in the May primary using his ex-wife's home as his address, Democrats alleged Tuesday.

Indiana Democratic Party chairman Dan Parker called for an investigation into GOP secretary of state candidate Charlie White, who changed his voter registration last week to his current address, a condominium he bought in February.

White resigned from Fishers Town Council last week after acknowledging that the condo is outside his council district, saying he didn't realize the conflict sooner because he was busy with his statewide campaign and new marriage.

Republicans said White has acknowledged his mistakes and worked to fix them. Parker said White was blatantly skirting the law to keep his council seat.

"This is a clear case of voter fraud," Parker told reporters at Indiana Democratic Party headquarters in downtown Indianapolis.

Indiana law makes it a felony to knowingly vote in any precinct except the one in which a voter is registered and resides, although the statute provides exceptions. White's campaign refused to answer questions about the matter, but issued a statement saying that White was entitled to vote in the primary at his old precinct through an exception.

"It's unfortunate that a set of personal and family-related circumstances created this scenario, but the simple fact is that Charlie was entitled under law to vote one last time at his old polling location," the statement said.

The exception referenced allows voters who have moved to cast ballots at their previous precincts under certain circumstances if they tell poll workers about their new address.

White failed tell workers about his move, said David Brooks, counsel for the Indiana Republican Party who has worked with White on the issue. But the law was intended to keep people from voting at old precincts multiple times, and because White has since changed his voter registration that shouldn't be an issue, Brooks argued.

Parker said he isn't sure the exception applies, but even if it does, Parker contends that White violated Indiana code by not telling poll workers about his new address.

"Even using his lame excuse, he still committed voter fraud," Parker said. "The facts here are pretty clear. He's trying to lie to get out of the original coverup, which always makes it worse."

White had been living in an apartment complex after his divorce in 2007 but changed his voter registration back to his ex-wife's house in February. Brooks said the condo sale closure was taking longer than expected and White didn't want to be pinned down for another lease term in the apartment, so he moved back to his ex-wife's home and registered to vote using that address.

When White filed for candidacy for secretary of state, he listed his condo address for his residence and his ex-wife's home as his mailing address. Parker said White was clearly trying to keep ties with his ex-wife's address so he could retain his council seat.

Parker called on current Secretary of State Todd Rokita, a Republican, to investigate.

"If he does not find fraud in this case, then Todd Rokita is really not interested in finding fraud," Parker said.

Rokita spokesman Jim Gavin said the office is reviewing Parker's request and the information he provided.

Parker also called on GOP Gov. Mitch Daniels to release any state information about White's permanent residence to give "the citizens of Indiana a full and fair assessment of the facts."

Hamilton County Democratic Chair Keith Clock wrote a letter to Hamilton County Prosecutor Sonia Leerkamp requesting a special prosecutor be appointed to look into the issue.

Hamilton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Jeff Wehmueller said his office would forward information from Democrats about the issue to law enforcement, likely the Secretary of State's office or the State Police, for a thorough and neutral investigation.

White and Democrat Vop Osili are seeking to succeed Rokita, who is prevented by term limits from seeking a third term. Osili said last week that allegations against White raise "questions to as whether this individual should be given the public's trust to oversee elections and the voting process."

"The voters of Indiana deserve and should demand no less than a Secretary of State who is qualified and committed to protecting against voter fraud, and a Secretary of State who demonstrates that they will protect the sanctity of the voting process and the rights of all Hoosier citizens," he said on his website.